Shorter toy haulers

[cutty72]

Ok, currently I have a 04 Jayco Talon 36Z.
It's a 39' 5th wheel TH, with a 12' garage and a super slide.
We really love the layout and space. I HATE towing it in the wind.
I would love to find a rig with a shorter overall height, I think even if I could get down to 10' height would help a lot.

Requirements:
-5th wheel / goose neck
-Pass through from LQ to garage area
-Slide out
-min 12' garage
-walled off garage area
-insulated and heated/AC garage area
-40' or less total length.

I have looked at Millennium trailers, but the problem I have is the longest LQ with a passthrough is 14'. Slides are minimal, and it still ends up being a 38' trailer.

Are there other options out there?

We use our garage as a second room for visitors/friends, or the dogs. Also for storage of the toys in bad weather.
Any input is appreciated. Not in any rush, just looking around for what the "next rig" will be.

[Bedlam]

Don't discount frontal area in your mileage. When I had a bumper pull toy hauler, my truck got better mileage than just carrying a truck camper. Towing my enclosed trailer alone got better mileage than than towing my toy hauler.

[trail-explorer]

Wanting to get a different trailer, because you want better MPG and lower EGTs is like wanting to buy a golf cart to go lake fishing in.

[N-Trouble]

And bumper pulls even smaller generally get same or worse mileage than a larger 5er. Even though a 5er is taller it's location in relation to the TV creates a single large air mass whereas a bumper pull and TV act as two separate air masses typically resulting in more aerodynamic drag.

I went from a 20ft bumper pull to my current trailer and despite being taller and at least 4k lb heavier I get the same or better mileage pulling it.

[trail-explorer]

cutty72 wrote:


I'd much rather put $40k into a new (to me) lower profile trailer than a new truck.

The problem is, you aren't going to find a lower profile 5th wheel.
and a lower profile trailer isn't going to give you any appreciable change in EGTs or MPGs.
The toy hauler you have is working your truck pretty good. Getting another trailer isn't going to change that, unless you downsize to a bumper pull.

New/Newer trucks can be worked on by DIY mechanics. I change my own oil, transfer case oil, air filter, oil filter, transmission filter, I've added electrical wiring for lights, etc.

[trail-explorer]

cutty72 wrote:
Drop the trailer down 1-2', and gain 1-2 mpg. The economy will pay for itself!

THe shorter heoight isn't going to result an much (if any) gain in MPG.

I do RV transporting, and regardless of how long or high a rig is, my truck still gets about 12-12.5 mpg.

[cutty72]

jareddustin wrote:
just to add you are talking about a truck that is 14 years old... the newer trucks are so much better. sounds like what you want you are not going to get out of an outdated truck. with the price of a nice 5th wheel close to or more then a truck. you might want to think about updating your truck first since you spend a lot more time in the truck than in the trailer.

Tough to get rid of a perfectly good pickup that I can do 90% of any work that would need to be done and "upgrade" to a $50k+ rig that is almost impossible for the DIY mechanic to work on, so add in the maintenance costs, not worth it in my book.

I'd much rather put $40k into a new (to me) lower profile trailer than a new truck.

[jareddustin]

just to add you are talking about a truck that is 14 years old... the newer trucks are so much better. sounds like what you want you are not going to get out of an outdated truck. with the price of a nice 5th wheel close to or more then a truck. you might want to think about updating your truck first since you spend a lot more time in the truck than in the trailer.

[cutty72]

N-Trouble wrote:

Your story keeps changing... Nowhere in your original post did you talk about MPG or EGTs. Simply said that you quote: "HATE towing in the wind". Most including myself read that and assume stability issues which is why some have recommended a dually.

Sorry, I am on pickup forums more, so used to the "assumption" being drive-ability issues.
Yes, increased MPG while reducing EGT would be my goal.

[Blackdiamond]

cutty72 wrote:
TV is a 01 F250 powerstroke. I understand that even my current is over the manufacturer ratings. Upgrades in suspension, and brakes have taken care of that issue.

Going "much smaller" would equate to going to a TT, which I refuse to do.
I've thought about a dually, but averaging about 15k a year, and only about 4k is towing, that's a lot of wear and tear, plus an extra couple tires wearing out, for nothing.
Plus, duallys suck in the snow, and it is also my primary hunting rig.
Not to mention that it would no longer fit in my garage...

I just don't understand it. Looking at a 5er TH, the height is because the entire trailer is above the wheel wells and to give the full stand up front bed area.

Then you wont have the ground clearance you need to get in/out of driveways or get to the trails.

I don't care about standing in the front. Wheel wells take a minimal amount of room. Drop the trailer down 1-2', and gain 1-2 mpg. The economy will pay for itself!

May just end up with a Millennium or similar, get a 16'+ garage, even though I don't need it, just to lower my total height.

Apparently I desire the equivalent of a unicorn. 😕

[N-Trouble]

cutty72 wrote:

ksss wrote:
I don't think your giving a DRW it's due. The two extra tires are not for nothing, it equates to stability, that's why they sell them and why guys that have big trailers use them. I pull a 38' Fuzion with a DRW and never has it felt unstable or pushed around due to wind and Idaho is every bit as windy as North Dakota (I used to live near Jamestown).

If you don't want a dually and would prefer to downsize, I get that. However a DRW will change your towing experience 180 degrees with your existing trailer.

I fully understand the advantage in stability of a DRW vs a SRW. However, for the amount of towing vs. the other use of the vehicle, it's not feasible.

What I'm getting at is that going to a dually is not going to help my issues.
-It won't increase MPG.
-It won't lower EGT
-It won't reduce drag in head/cross winds

However, getting a trailer of the same length with a lower ceiling height (ie less frontal and side area) should do all of the above.

Sadly, it seems I'm looking for a unicorn.

Your story keeps changing... Nowhere in your original post did you talk about MPG or EGTs. Simply said that you quote: "HATE towing in the wind". Most including myself read that and assume stability issues which is why some have recommended a dually.

[cutty72]

ksss wrote:
I don't think your giving a DRW it's due. The two extra tires are not for nothing, it equates to stability, that's why they sell them and why guys that have big trailers use them. I pull a 38' Fuzion with a DRW and never has it felt unstable or pushed around due to wind and Idaho is every bit as windy as North Dakota (I used to live near Jamestown).

If you don't want a dually and would prefer to downsize, I get that. However a DRW will change your towing experience 180 degrees with your existing trailer.

I fully understand the advantage in stability of a DRW vs a SRW. However, for the amount of towing vs. the other use of the vehicle, it's not feasible.

What I'm getting at is that going to a dually is not going to help my issues.
-It won't increase MPG.
-It won't lower EGT
-It won't reduce drag in head/cross winds

However, getting a trailer of the same length with a lower ceiling height (ie less frontal and side area) should do all of the above.

Sadly, it seems I'm looking for a unicorn.

[ksss]

I don't think your giving a DRW it's due. The two extra tires are not for nothing, it equates to stability, that's why they sell them and why guys that have big trailers use them. I pull a 38' Fuzion with a DRW and never has it felt unstable or pushed around due to wind and Idaho is every bit as windy as North Dakota (I used to live near Jamestown).

If you don't want a dually and would prefer to downsize, I get that. However a DRW will change your towing experience 180 degrees with your existing trailer.

[cutty72]

Bedlam wrote:
Car haulers are typically rated for more payload with larger garages and based on commercial trailers verses toy haulers that are more RV based with a garage.

I originally was looking at these to upgrade my toy hauler when I started to to run out of garage space. The toy haulers that were open floor plan and had 18' or more garage were too heavy for my 3/4t truck, so I found these LQ haulers that could be 38' long yet 9000 lbs empty even when nicely outfitted. With these haulers, the draft is lower too so it would have worked well with my 15,000 lb gooseneck tow rating.

We decided to split off the garage from the living space by buying a truck camper and towing an enclosed trailer instead. This works better for us since we don't always need our garage with us, but I would have no problem revisiting this option in the future.

We often use the garage as extended living area, so the separate trailer won't work well. I will look into those you listed. Thanks.

[cutty72]

p19761976 wrote:
I have a KZ MXT 303 5700 dry. I pull it with F 150 Eco Boost no problems

Not a 5th wheel though.